DFEN vs. UNH
DFEN (Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares) is Leveraged Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Aerospace & Defense Index (300% Daily), while UNH (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated) is a stock. Over the past 5 years, DFEN returned 33.49%/yr vs 2.37%/yr for UNH. At a 0.28 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
DFEN vs. UNH - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DFEN achieves a 20.97% return, which is significantly lower than UNH's 23.11% return.
DFEN
- 1D
- -4.32%
- 1M
- 17.09%
- YTD
- 20.97%
- 6M
- 21.25%
- 1Y
- 87.39%
- 3Y*
- 67.96%
- 5Y*
- 33.49%
- 10Y*
- —
UNH
- 1D
- 0.36%
- 1M
- 3.80%
- YTD
- 23.11%
- 6M
- 24.12%
- 1Y
- 36.32%
- 3Y*
- -2.42%
- 5Y*
- 2.37%
- 10Y*
- 13.06%
DFEN vs. UNH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFEN Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares | 20.97% | 156.62% | 27.07% | 24.70% | 6.99% | 12.72% | -70.23% | 95.09% | -32.86% | 83.64% |
UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | 23.11% | -33.14% | -2.41% | 0.80% | 6.94% | 45.20% | 21.25% | 20.00% | 14.52% | 28.04% |
Correlation
The correlation between DFEN and UNH is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 3, 2017 | 0.28 |
The correlation between DFEN and UNH shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (3 years) to 0.28 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
DFEN vs. UNH — Risk / Return Rank
DFEN
UNH
DFEN vs. UNH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN) and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| DFEN | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.54 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.73 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.20 | +0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.21 | 1.18 | +1.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.08 | 2.59 | +2.49 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
DFEN vs. UNH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DFEN drawdown since its inception was -91.36%, which is greater than UNH's maximum drawdown of -74.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DFEN and UNH.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| DFEN | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.36% | -74.37% | -16.99% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -41.75% | -28.96% | -12.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -43.13% | -61.39% | +18.26% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -55.30% | -61.39% | +6.09% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -61.39% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -20.73% | -33.15% | +12.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -45.15% | -14.78% | -30.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 18.16% | 13.17% | +4.99% |
Volatility
DFEN vs. UNH - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares (DFEN) has a higher volatility of 25.14% compared to UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) at 7.81%. This indicates that DFEN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than UNH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| DFEN | UNH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 25.14% | 7.81% | +17.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 56.03% | 30.77% | +25.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 66.17% | 40.05% | +26.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 60.80% | 31.89% | +28.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 71.64% | 30.19% | +41.45% |
Dividends
DFEN vs. UNH - Dividend Comparison
DFEN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.38%, more than UNH's 2.23% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DFEN Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares | 7.38% | 8.89% | 14.12% | 1.13% | 0.46% | 1.89% | 0.48% | 0.50% | 1.07% | 1.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
UNH UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | 2.23% | 2.64% | 1.62% | 1.38% | 1.21% | 1.12% | 1.38% | 1.41% | 1.38% | 1.30% | 1.48% | 1.59% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DFEN and UNH have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DFEN has higher volatility (25.14%) compared to UNH (7.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DFEN dropped -91.36% vs UNH's -74.37%.
DFEN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.40 vs 0.85), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
Find the right allocation for DFEN and UNH
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer